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January 20, 2006

By Compiled from wire reports by staff

Bow-WOW! Top dog in the US, once again, is the retriever

Obviously, serious dog people love retrievers, which explains why the Labrador has been named the nation's most popular breed for the 16th consecutive year by the American Kennel Club (AKC), while the Golden checks in at No. 2. The AKC, which keeps such statistics, registered 137,867 Labs last year and 48,509 Goldens. "The Lab may still reign supreme," says AKC spokeswoman Gail Miller, "but the petite and often-pampered Yorkshire Terrier has taken the coveted No. 3 spot for the first time." The Yorkie accounted for 47,238 registrations, putting it in position to perhaps overtake the Golden Retriever when the 2006 figures are compiled. The popularity of Yorkies is consistent with the growing interest in smaller dogs generally, Miller says, but also may be attributable to their exposure as a companion to celebrities, especially those in the entertainment industry. The most popular canine breeds of 2005, based on AKC data:1. Labrador Retriever2. Golden Retriever3. Yorkshire Terrier4. German Shepherd (males)5. Beagle6. Dachshund7. Boxer8. Poodle9. Shih Tzu10. Miniature Schnauzer